Protests in New Delhi increase 46% in 2019, hit fresh record-high

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In 2019, New Delhi has witnessed the highest number of protests in at least eight years, the Hindustan Times has reported citing government data.

The report, quoting numbers from Delhi Police, suggests that over 12,650 dharnas, demonstrations and protests were organised in the national capital in 2019. That was an increase of 46 percent from 2018.

The number is the highest since 2011, when the earliest data is available from.

The previous record was from 2015 when 11,158 protests were witnessed.

However, the 2019 number is only till December 15 and, hence, does not include many of the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) or the proposed pan-India National Register of Citizens (NRC). Many protests, some even turning violent, gripped the national capital in the second half of December. The data for the second half of December will be included later on.

The report cites a senior unnamed Delhi Police official as saying that the number from the anti-CAA protests will make the total increase by at least 500.

Also read: Delhi Police fired 450 tear gas shells during Citizenship Act protests, ‘largest quantity in recent history’

According to the report, the data was compiled by Delhi Police’s special branch which shares reports with local police.

The year 2011, which witnessed anti-corruption protests involving students, young people and professionals among others, saw just over 5,350 protests. In 2012, Delhi saw 8,405 protests, including many in the aftermath of the rape and murder of a 23-year-old medical student on December 16.